In this episode of the GoCarterton Business Spotlight series, Josie Askin speaks with Matt McQuaid, owner of Plyguy, about business leadership, systemisation, entrepreneurship and building a resilient timber business in Carterton.
From nearly sixteen years in the Royal New Zealand Navy to running a specialist timber merchant through COVID, construction booms and economic downturns, Matt shares a grounded and thoughtful perspective on what it takes to build a sustainable business.
The conversation explores operational systems, customer problem-solving, managing teams across multiple locations and why overlooked materials can still create exceptional outcomes.
Over coffee at Wild Oats Café, Josie Askin sat down with Matt McQuaid for the December GoCarterton Business Spotlight — a conversation about leadership, problem-solving, timber, systems and the realities of running a business through unpredictable times.
Matt’s journey to entrepreneurship
Matt McQuaid transitioned from a 16-year career as an officer in the Royal New Zealand Navy to entrepreneurship, driven by the desire to provide for his family and to contribute positively to his staff and customers. Owning Plyguy for five years now, Matt emphasises the importance of his military-acquired skills, such as planning, organisation, self-discipline, and responsibility, which have been instrumental in his business journey. He highlights the independence and decision-making agility he enjoys in business, noting the contrast with his military camaraderie.
Matt is the owner and “plyminister” of Plyguy, a specialist timber merchant based in Clareville, with a second branch in Taranaki. Before stepping into business ownership, he spent nearly sixteen years as an officer in the Royal New Zealand Navy — experience that still shapes the way he leads, plans and makes decisions today.
After moving to Wairarapa with his wife, Matt was looking for a way to stay in the region rather than return to Auckland. Plyguy offered that opportunity: a local business with history, demand and the potential to grow.
For Matt, the shift from military life to business ownership brought both freedom and responsibility.
“At the end of the day, it all relies on me.”
One of the strongest links between the Navy and business, he says, is discipline — not the shouting-orders kind, but the quiet discipline of doing things properly even when no one is watching.
“That standard you walk past is the standard you accept.”
Matt McQuaid
That mindset has shaped the way Matt has approached Plyguy over the past five years.
Building value from overlooked timber
Plyguy is built around a practical idea: finding value in timber products that might otherwise be overlooked. The business sells seconds, downgrades, cancelled export orders and end-of-line timber products — materials that may not fit the standard big-box retail model, but still have real value for the right project.
For customers, that means access to affordable timber and plywood options. For suppliers and the environment, it helps reduce waste.
The customer base is wide: builders, farmers, DIYers, large construction companies and people tackling creative projects on tight budgets. Some are building fences, kennels, chicken coops or skate ramps. Others are repairing boats, building bridges or transforming ordinary structures into something surprisingly polished.
One of Matt’s favourite examples was a customer who used affordable timber battens to transform a plain garage into something with a high-end finish.
“They got the champagne look on the beer budget.”
That mix of practicality and creativity is part of what Matt enjoys most about the business. Customers often arrive thinking they need one product, but after talking through the project, the team can help them find a better fit.
Systems and automation
Behind the scenes, one of Matt’s biggest achievements has been systemising the business. When he took over, there were very few documented processes. Over time, he has built reliable, repeatable systems that help staff work consistently across both the Carterton and Taranaki branches.
Matt is also pragmatic about technology and credits resources like Systemology by David Jenyns for guiding this transformation. He sees real value in tools such as automation and AI when they reduce repetitive work and make business processes easier to manage. For small businesses, he believes using those tools well can create meaningful advantages.
For Matt, systems are not about bureaucracy. They are about reducing pressure, improving consistency and freeing up time to focus on growth.
“Having those key systems documented, those key processes repeatable, has been a game changer.”
Expansion to Taranaki
That has become even more important as Plyguy has expanded. With lean teams in both locations, consistency matters. If someone needs to step into another branch, the processes need to make sense. The systems help reduce risk and keep the business moving even when things get stretched.
One of Matt’s considerable challenges is managing a lean staffing structure, particularly across two branches, which requires careful planning to handle staff absences through standardised systems.
The past five years have not been straightforward. Matt took over Plyguy in November 2020, shortly after the first COVID lockdown. Since then, the business has navigated lockdowns, a building boom, supply pressures, and a difficult construction market.
He describes it as a rollercoaster — but also as part of the reality of business ownership.
Community Engagement and Brand Evolution
The Plyguy brand has evolved to include a broader range of timber products beyond plywood, with Matt actively engaging in local community initiatives and business development in Carterton. He encourages other local businesses to join the “Go Carterton” association to benefit from networking events and promotional opportunities.
Leadership and resilience
On a personal note, Matt discusses how his love for music, especially the song “Home Again” by Shihad, evokes fond memories of his Navy days. What keeps him grounded is structure: early mornings, exercise, planning, and clear separation between work and home where possible. He likes having the commute as a transition space, a way to reset before returning to family life.
The conversation also touched on the role of local business networks, and the value of being part of a community where people can share challenges, ideas and opportunities.
Matt’s story reflects a different side of Carterton’s business community: practical, disciplined, quietly innovative and focused on solving real problems for real customers.
From Navy officer to timber merchant, from one branch to two, and from informal operations to structured systems, Matt’s journey is an example how a local business built on products and services has expanded thanks to its standards, adaptability and the willingness to keep improving.
This conversation was originally recorded for the GoCarterton Business Spotlight series on Arrow FM, celebrating local businesses, stories and community connections across Carterton District.
